Discount tickets are available for staff to see St. Martin in the Fields

Durham, NC - When Professor Neil McWilliam considered moving from England to take a job at Duke, he wondered whether the Triangle area was host to a full cultural life.

Duke Performances, with more than 50 performances a year, helped answer that question.

"We looked at what Duke had to offer, and UNC, and the North Carolina Symphony," said McWilliam, a professor of Art and Art History at Duke. "We were impressed with the offerings, but Duke Performances, centrally amongst all of those things, was very important in sealing the deal."

Plus, Duke Performances offers staff and faculty a 10 percent discount on individual performances (with a two ticket limit per show).

Now, McWilliam and his wife pore over the Duke Performance brochure each summer to choose which concerts they will attend during the academic year. They also take advantage of the 20 percent discount on season tickets to enjoy music ranging from the homegrown Ciompi Quartet to internationally known performers such as the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields from London. The orchestra performs Friday.

"We generally both enjoy the same music," McWilliam said.

Occasionally, Duke Performances offers deeper discounts to the Duke community. Last December, for example, 175 employees took a 25 percent discount on tickets purchased before Dec. 21. Deep discounts are also available during the summer Music in the Garden series, when Duke employees can purchase $5 concert tickets -- half-off the $10 public price.

Like Professor McWilliam, Christina Chia, assistant director at the Franklin Humanities Institute, appreciates the chance to attend first-rate performances on campus.

"The last performance I saw was the amazing production of ‘Waiting for Godot' by the Classical Theatre of Harlem," she said. "It is incredible to have the opportunity to see world-class shows like that right here on campus at an affordable price."